


Tionas be'Kem'ad (the riddle of strider)

by Apprendere



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Gen, Mando'a Language (Star Wars), Prose Poem, Translation, aka all that is gold does not glitter not all those who wander are lost, the riddle of strider, translation of a Tolkien poem into Mando'a
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:55:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 28
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29189649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apprendere/pseuds/Apprendere
Summary: A translation of The Riddle of Strider into Mando'a.Attempts were made to carry over the feeling and poetic structure.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	Tionas be'Kem'ad (the riddle of strider)

**Author's Note:**

> Mando'a translation of a Tolkien poem? Except I suspect mando'a is a trashfire of a conlang in comparison to jrrt's? I don't have the expertise to say for sure.
> 
> I dedicate this fic to conlangers and everyone who has learned or attempted to learn one, especially people who have or are expanding the vocabulary, working/reworking Mando'a into a more natural/less englishy/romantic language, and who casually drop it into fanfic. Gar dralcyar'la

Ne'dral an ve'vut  
Naasade darmarekaryc echoy'la  
Ne'kyorar ruug'la darasuum  
Nakadiliir orichurkushi kyr'ciryc

Ka'gotenir tracyn teh range  
Ka'beviir eyn kar teh werde  
Ka'tugyc ven'nauur kad shuk'la  
Ka'tugyc ven'alorir ure'kyrbesh

**Author's Note:**

> Once again Mando'a is responsible for my author's notes being longer than the "fic" itself
> 
> Me: how can I tell if I do the hyperfixation thing? My gauge for normal is set by my own behavior.  
> Also me: rereads the entire mando'a dictionary in 2 days to scan for the best words for translating this poem because I saw a tumblr post asking about what poetry has settled into your bones, binge reads a few tumblr's mando'a tags, gets mad about r's and c's and yes and apostrophes in mando'a, writes some kinda poetry with internal structure in a conlang I barely know  
> Me: this is a totally normal thing to do right?
> 
> Also I kept coming back to the idea of this being a poem said when there is no mand'alor, or clan leader, etc., especially in the wake of big cultural tragedies? I.e. I kept having feelings about everyone who could last claim to being mand'alor but won't because of personal tragedy, or who walked away from it because of personal tragedy. 
> 
> Comments/discussion/whatever on my translation, alternate translations, grammar, word choice, etc. are all welcome and I Would In Fact Love (<3) to hear opinions on this. Especially on cultural translation, e.g. because Dha Werda Verde exists I doubt the imagery around fire and ashes here works in a mandalorian context?
> 
> btw, should I try to go through line by line with notes on my word choice/translation notes?
> 
> Also this feels super egocentric to say, but feel free to use the translation/phrasing if you want? I know I am tempted to plot out fics based on these lines as titles. E.g. mand'alor the reluctant Din Djarin in "Ka'tugyc ven'Alorir Ure'Buyce" (another option I considered for the last line) focused on Din dealing with the emotional fallout of winning the right to the title of Mand'alor, choosing to remove his helmet, and letting go of his kid? Oof. The more I reread to check my work the harder it gets to ignore plot bunnies.


End file.
